The Storm

"Happy birthday, Serena, my love." He said right before he crushed her lips in a hard, punishing kiss.

Serena had no time to fully recover from the shock of hearing Darien call her by her real name. Her heart was slamming against her ribcage, when she felt his lips cover hers in a ruthless kiss. His lips weren't gentle and passionate, they were hungry and all consuming. He was plundering her mouth, none too gently with his. Serena felt his hands move around her waist and pull her roughly to him, she was crushed into his hard chest. Serena felt herself slipping under the control he held over her, she was losing herself to his all-consuming kiss. Serena's hands moved around Darien's neck to pull him even closer to her.

The anger at being betrayed in Darien fueled, when he felt her soft body melt into his. He suddenly broke the kiss and straightened himself.

Serena was still dazed from the kiss and looked at Darien warily. How long had he known about this charade, she thought, her heart still pounding from the passion they had just shared. But as the smoke of desire, started to clear, Serena realized the real magnitude of the situation she was in. It was as if the fact that Darien knew about her lie had finally sunk in.

She turned and looked at Darien horrified.

Darien turned and looked at Serena's shocked look, he kept a calm and cold exterior himself. He gave her a smirk that didn't quite reach his eyes, that remained cold and calculating.

"Thought you would have me fooled forever didn't you?" It wasn't exactly a question as it was a statement.

"How long have you known?" She whispered, her eyes looked away in shame.

"Not long, considering what an amazing actress you are." Darien taunted her.

"I was going to tell you everything…..." Serena began, but was cut short by Darien.

"Save it." He bit out.

Serena was taken aback by his cutting tone.

"You and your sister almost had me fooled there for a while, but thankfully I came to my senses on time."

Serena listened as Darien spoke in the iciest tone she had ever heard, gone was the man she had met a few days ago, instead of him sat a cold and calculating man, who seemed to emanate a bone chilling coldness, Serena shivered.

"I trusted you and all you did was make me look like a fool for it." He paused and locked his stony glare on her, Serena couldn't look away from his eyes, she sat there arrested by his gaze. She felt intimidated by him.

"You will pay for hurting my heart, Rena." He finished.

Serena couldn't breathe; she felt fear creep into every fiber of her being. She had never seen Darien like this and it scared her. Serena swiftly opened the car door and stumbled out into the cool night air, her gift in hand. She swiftly walked into her home and was frozen in place. As she had stumbled into her house, she had drawn the attention of the entire party, that was now in full swing in her house!

Darien appeared behind her shortly, putting his hand on the small of her back and smiled at everyone devilishly. "Birthday girl no. 2 has arrived!" He announced.

"Surprise!" Everybody shouted in unison as Serena looked on in bewilderment.

He bent down to her ear and whispered. "I promised myself, I wouldn't let you run away from me, ever again, Serena." His breathe tickled her ear and Serena shivered from fear or excitement, she couldn't say. How could this man sound so intimidating, threatening and so sexy at the same time, she wondered. It didn't help that her name sounded so sensual every time he said it, it made her heart skip a beat.

Serena's wide eyes scanned the room for her parents and, she finally spotted them standing in the other corner of the room and beaming at her. They waved at her excitedly and Serena waved back unenthusiastically. She was so confused right now, she needed to talk to her parents and ask them, what exactly in the name of God was going on here?! Serena looked through the crowd for Mina and finally found her talking excitedly amidst a group of friends.

Serena realized she had started looking foolish standing at the door of her house for so long, she decided to just forget about what had happened with Darien and at least enjoy her party, she could worry about life once the party was over.

Serena started making her way to Mina. She felt confused when people looked at her and mouthed, best of luck, congratulations and gave her the occasional thumbs up. All she could do was look at them and smile back politely. Darien was still walking beside her, his hand still on the small of her back, something was amusing him immensely and he kept smiling.

"What?" Serena shot him an irritated look.

"Temper temper, my love." He told her in a sing song fashion.

"Stop calling me that!" She bit out.

"Calling you what?" He asked innocently.

"You know!" She answered frustrated.

"But I don't." He answered with mock innocence, making his eyes large and pouting his lips.

"Darien you are infuriating me!" She whispered.

"I don't know what you're talking about, my looooooooo…ouch!" Darien groaned and looked at Serena who had promptly stomped down on his foot and twisted the heel of her stiletto into it a few times for good measure.

"What you do that for!" Darien looked at her accusingly.

"Do what, my love?" Serena asked innocently, widening her big blue eyes and pouting.

"You did that on purpose!" Darien argued.

"Do what, baby?" She faked another innocent pout.

"You crushed my leg, you big hippo." Darien retorted.

"Wait, what did you just call me? You want to see, what a real hippo can do to you!"

"Wow, you two are so mature." A third voice interrupted them. Serena and Darien turned to look at the owner of that voice.

Serena's eyes fell on her twin and she instantly smiled, forgetting about the intense argument she had just been involved in. She hugged her happily and both the girls squealed. "Happy Birthday!" They both wished each other in unison and giggled.

"Thank you, Serena." Mina said emotionally, Serena was a little taken aback by the sudden show of emotion.

"For what?" Serena asked her sister, feeling honestly confused.

"For sacrificing so much for me, for actually pretending to be me and going out with Darien, for lying to everyone for me, for everything, Sere!"

"You know, you never have to thank me, I love you and I would do it all over again." Serena replied genuinely.

"But you won't, since you spoke to Darien about the entire charade and confessed everything and he understood, he spoke to mom and dad and sorted it out, infact it was his idea to throw this surprise for us tonight!"

"Oh, really?" Serena asked looking suspiciously at Mina. Something was so fishy about him tonight, she knew he was up to no good.

Serena turned to look at Darien and realized he wasn't at her side anymore. She looked around the crowd and didn't find it too hard to spot him standing near the stairs and talking to her parents. She decided to go and confront him, she needed to know what he was upto right now! She started making her way towards Darien, when she saw him walk up the stairs and turn around. He was now easily visible to the entire crowd of 400 people present at her house and he cleared his throat to speak.

"Shit is about to get serious." Serena muttered to herself and realized a couple of guests around her had heard her and turned to look at her completely shocked. Serena blushed wildly and gave them a weak smile. Shit. She kicked herself inwardly.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Darien's voice boomed in the hall. "Ken, Irene and I, are so glad and thankful you could make it at such short notice to Serena and Mina's surprise birthday party tonight. But as you all also know, that Mina and I are no longer engaged to be married. As it turns out Mina and I, as much as we tried could not bring ourselves to love one another."

Serena looked around to realize how the crowd was looking at Darien, with understanding and sympathy in their eyes. Although, the women in the crowd seemed too pleased and happy, she noticed.

"Bitches." Serena muttered, receiving more stares of indignation from the people surrounding her.

"I am proud to announce though, I have finally found my love and my soul mate in another."

Serena's ears perked up at Darien's statement and she looked up, she felt, sorrow, excitement and fear all at once.

"And tonight I will officially make her mine, ladies and gentlemen I present to you, my love, Serena Kingston." Darien finished and held his hand out to Serena to come forward and join him. The entire room clapped and cheered, when Darien took her name. Everyone turned to Serena and waited for her to go and take her rightful place next to Darien. Even her parents stood at the foot of the stairs and cheered her to go up. She looked up at Darien and saw the amusement in his eyes, he knew what he had done, he had put Serena in a great predicament and he enjoyed every minute of it.

"That rat bastard."

Serena knew she had no other option, but to go and join the man waiting for her on the stairs. She looked around at all the excited faces around her and Serena smiled as best as she could and walked towards Darien. Serena knew she couldn't create a scene right now, it was best to just go with the flow right now and tackle things once she could catch Darien alone. Serena felt numb as she starting walking up the staircase, she took Darien's still outstretched hand and suddenly he pulled her up next to him. Serena's eyes were wide as she was suddenly tugged by Darien, in slow motion she saw his hand wrap itself around her waist and the crowd cheered him on, when he dipped her and gave her a devilish smile. Slowly his head lowered to hers, Serena watched mesmerized as he slowly covered the distance between them, her eyes shut by their own accord and then Serena felt his lips on hers in the most gentle kiss he had ever given her. Serena felt everything around her fade away. Her heart thumped in her chest and her mind surrendered to him, all she could feel was the drug that was Darien Shields. Disappointedly she felt Darien's lips let hers go and slowly her mind came back to reality, her eyes open slowly, to focus on his Sapphire eyes, Serena could once again hear the people around her. Serena blushed profusely. She knew in that moment more than ever she was irrevocably in love with this man, no matter what he did to her, she was in love.

She couldn't manage to break eye contact with him, she was his prisoner now and forever.

He smiled at her then as she looked back at him as if in a trance.

"Serenity Kingston" she heard him say,

"Will you marry me?"